The Upside Down Tomato Garden

The upside down tomato garden offers a number of advantages.

They work well even if you have very little or no yard to work with for gardening. Even if you live in an apartment or condo, if you have a spot with sunshine you can hang the upside down tomato garden and start growing tomatoes.

In general, they're less work! There is no need to till up soil, to stake drooping plants, to weed or anything of that nature. Simply insert the tomato plant inside, add soil, and water regularly. It's also easier on the back and knees since you don't have to stoop or bend.

Fewer problems with insects and disease. Because the upside down tomato garden is suspended in air, many of the common insect problems are eliminated. Less worry and more perfect tomatoes.

The only drawback I have found is that you do need to water tomatoes grown in a container more frequently. Don't let them dry out!

Based on advice I had read elsewhere, I chose a "determinate" variety of tomatoes to grow. This assures that the plant itself will grow only so long and keep if from outgrowing the height from which it's hung.

I also used some nice top soil combined with Miracle Grow soil which has fertilizer incorporated into it. This was just for ease and isn't a requirement.

You'll need to assure you have a sturdy place to hang the tomato container; it must be able to support the weight of the container, dirt, full grown tomato plant, and water. If you hang it near the house, be sure it won't bang into the house in a wind and that it will get plenty of sun. Keeping it near a water source is good because you'll need to water often. You could easily construct something but old clothesline poles are often mentioned as ideal.

If you've never grown tomatoes in a garden you've never really had tomatoes. They should be juicy, tender, and full of flavor, completely unlike the majority of grocery store tomatoes. But wait, if you don't grow your own tomatoes, you've probably never tried green tomatoes either. There are a number of recipes using green tomatoes, but here's a very basic, classic fried green tomatoes recipe for starters.

Fried Green Tomatoes- The Quick and Easy Way

3 or 4 green tomatoes, sliced thin
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola or olive oil

Slice green tomatoes then combine flour, salt, and pepper for the coating. Dip green tomato slices in beaten egg and then coat with flour mixture. Heat oil in skillet on medium, fry coated tomato slices for 4-6 mintues, turning to assure even browning.

Remove slices after well browned and drain on paper towels. Fried Green Tomatoes can be eaten as is or served as a sandwich, traditionally with Mayonnaise as a condiment.

*Some recipes call for thicker slices and using bread crumbs or cornmeal in the coating. This recipe with thinner slices and flour only coating accentuates the green tomato flavor and assures tenderness with a crispy exterior.

If you decide you'd rather just try piecing together your own upside down tomato garden, many people before you have tackled the task. A basic plastic bucket, with lid and a nice handle will do the trick. You can find some helpful hints on doing it on sites like the Mini-Farm Homestead or Old Fashioned Living. To learn more about common issues enountered and potential solutions, you can also check out articles like this one before you even get started.

The basics are demonstrated in the video below.

Photo Credits

Introduction: manjithkaini. (no derivative work allowed)
What's So Great About Growing Tomatoes Upside Down: ndrwfgg.
A Few Tips: bucklava.
Don't Wait for Your Tomatoes to Turn Red: ClearlyAmbiguous.
Do-It-Yourselfers: kkimpel.